Epiphone Casino Pickup Upgrade Question

I have an IBJL Casino that I like very much. It currently has Kent Armstrong P90 dogears in it (integrated chrome color plastic covers). I am ready to take the sound to the next level, get better clarity and better tone in general. The KA's have high output and get muddy and cranky pretty quick.

I have narrowed it Lollars or Fralins (regular/noisy) - seems like a common conundrum. But I want the chrome look. The Creamery makes them with chrome, but I don't know much about that company. I am ready to invest up to $200 for the pair.

The tone I'm looking for is somewhat similar to TV Jones classics. Nice clarity and chime, but can get dirty with some attack.

Which pickup do your recommend and how do I get the chrome (real metal or plastic) look? If I buy stock Epiphone chrome covers, will they fit the Lollars or Fralins?

I had some Kent Armstrongs in an Epi ZBD and I hated them.
They read in the 13+ ohm territory.
I got a nice deal on some beautiful ones from a place called Tone for Days.
Then I unwound the Kents to around 8-9 ohm and they sounded as good as the new ones.
It was tedious, but if you're set on buying new pickups anyway....

I don't have the OEM Epi pickups. The KA covers are plastics that look like chrome/metal. I was hoping to sell the KA's when I make this upgrade. Ebay has OEM Epi metal covers. Should I buy the OEM metal covers and send them to Lollar? Is metal problematic as a cover material for dogear?

I'm pretty sure that Lollar will rewind your pickups with the chrome covers. However I much prefer the Duncan Antiquity p90 to pretty much anything I've tried besides real 50's and 60's Gibson p90s. The only p90 pickup that I haven't tried and have wanted to is the Throbak p90.

I thought I've read somewhere that metal covers general make it a little darker than plastic covers.

The original pickups in your IBJL were Gibson spec'd P90s, so you may be able to replace them with Gibson dog ears. That is what my IBJL has. I actually liked the lower output pickups (around 8k dcr) in my old korean Casino better, but I know the string spacing can be an issue on Standard Casinos.

I had spent $100 for the KA set at the time - it looks their price went up quite a bit. Or maybe I got an earlier/different model.

My current plan is to order the black plastic dogear Lollar set (standard wind). I can then detach the chrome plastic KA covers and use them with the Lollars. The KA's would then be sold online with the black covers.

I'm pretty sure that Lollar will rewind your pickups with the chrome covers. However I much prefer the Duncan Antiquity p90 to pretty much anything I've tried besides real 50's and 60's Gibson p90s. The only p90 pickup that I haven't tried and have wanted to is the Throbak p90.

I thought I've read somewhere that metal covers general make it a little darker than plastic covers.

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I’m a Duncan fanboy but their dog ear covers / form factor are not standard which makes it not ideal for what the OP wants.

I’m a Duncan fanboy but their dog ear covers / form factor are not standard which makes it not ideal for what the OP wants.

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I swapped out the stock Gibson's on my 50th anniversary Casino with Duncan Ants. without issue. I thought those were more similar than different from the IBJL versions, but I could be wrong. I know I've heard about issues with Ants on a regular off the shelf Casino.

I swapped out the stock Gibson's on my 50th anniversary Casino with Duncan Ants. without issue. I thought those were more similar than different from the IBJL versions, but I could be wrong. I know I've heard about issues with Ants on a regular off the shelf Casino.